Compact discs (CD's) have increasingly become the recorded music format of choice for many consumers. Likewise, storage systems for storing CD's have also become increasingly popular, with many different designs becoming available. Similar storage systems have also been developed for other articles such as videotapes, audio cassettes, and books, among others.
For example, a number of storage systems are essentially racks or shelves upon which CD's, housed in their packaging (known as "jewel boxes"), are stored face-to-face with ends thereof visible to a user, similar to the manner in which books are placed on a shelf.
However, as many CD's are packaged with unique and colorful artwork, other storage system designs have been developed to store CD jewel boxes side-by-side with their front faces fully visible to a user. These storage systems may be stand-alone units, or may be supported on a wall or other vertical surface.
Some of these storage system designs provide a single unit with a plurality of receptacles for housing multiple CD jewel boxes. Others provide multiple units, each housing one or more CD jewel boxes, which may be coupled together by separate fasteners to house any number of CD's. One advantage of the latter storage systems is that they may be expanded as a user's CD collection grows.
However, all of the above types of storage systems typically require a number of different components, and often separate fasteners, both of which often require excessive materials and manufacturing steps. Accordingly, the costs of many such storage systems are often inordinately high.
Therefore, a substantial need continues to exist for a storage system for CD's and other articles which provides an aesthetically-pleasing display of the articles in a less complex and less expensive manner.